With rehabilitation counseling, individuals who suffer from certain developmental, mental, emotional and/or physical disabilities can be given the proper amount of the assistance that they need in order to have a more functional way of life. A rehabilitation counselor may not be able to directly remedy the condition that a disabled person suffers from, but through their intervention, a rehabilitation counselor can see to it that disabilities are not the more of a hindrance than necessary.

In addition to assisting with the functional impediments that certain disabilities can cause for the people that they help, rehabilitation counseling can also be largely social and psychological in nature. Those who suffer from serious disabilities oftentimes are oftentimes not only lacking the full functional ability needed to perform certain tasks around the home or in public, but also from a profoundly negative emotional state caused by both social stigma and issues with self-efficacy; this is particularly pronounced in those who have developed a new physical or mental disability later on in life.

With the help of a rehabilitation counselor, those who have acquired certain disabilities later on in life can have a better chance at reconciling with the difference in their lifestyle and regaining some of their former confidence.

Educational Requirement

Rehabilitation counselors must successfully accomplish a through degree of training and education in order to be credentialed for the profession. The usual entry-level education requirement for the field is the successful completion of a PhD program, and beyond that, there may be special certifications required in order to be qualified as capable of providing counseling for certain disabilities with a significant need for specialized care.

Employment Rate And Change

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in 2014, there were approximately 120,100 rehabilitation counselors. In terms of job outlook, the BLS reports that the expected employment change is approximately 9 percent; this is a slightly faster rate of job development than what is average for occupations throughout the economy. The employment change that the BLS projects could result in 10,800 more rehabilitation counselors becoming certified by the year 2024.

Distribution

The majority of rehabilitation counselors are full-time workers, and they can be found in a diverse array of settings. Some of the settings that rehabilitation counselors are commonly employed in include youth guidance organizations, senior citizen centers, rehabilitation centers and more. Depending on the nature of the organization in which they are employed, rehabilitation counselors may tend to the tend to people in residential arrangements as well as an outpatient basis.

Causes Of Projected Job Growth

As the elderly population increases, the demand for qualified rehabilitation counselors is expected to rise along with it. Greater public perception of developmental disabilities and health conditions experienced later on in life have led to more demand for dependable counselors to help manage them.

In addition to the public becoming more aware of age-related conditions that may require counseling, the demand for more rehabilitation counselors has also been related to the number of veterans that return from abroad with certain physical impairments that cause the need for living assistance.